ZESCO United head coach Emmanuel Siwale has downplayed talk of a title charge, insisting his side’s immediate priority is Thursday’s rescheduled Week 18 clash against Konkola Blades at Konkola Stadium.
With the MTN Super League table beginning to take shape, Siwale is keeping his squad grounded, emphasizing a one-game-at-a-time approach as the Ndola giants look to recover from a disappointing home defeat.
“It’s not about the title, it’s about the game that we are playing, which is against Konkola,” Siwale said. “This is a journey, and this journey has Konkola in it. Our target is Konkola. We play Konkola, then we can see or talk about the other games.”
Making Amends on the Road
ZESCO head into the fixture smarting from a 2-1 home loss to Mufulira Wanderers, a result that left them 11th on the log with 25 points from 18 matches. Siwale admitted dropping points at home was a setback but believes the team has addressed the issues that cost them.
“We made corrections. We saw some mistakes and also some positives,” he explained. “We worked on the negatives and consolidated the positives. That makes us confident that we just have to go and collect maximum points.”
Victory in Chililabombwe would lift ZESCO up to eighth place, a significant jump in what is proving to be a tightly packed mid-table battle.
Blades’ Resilience a Warning
Konkola Blades, meanwhile, sit ninth with 27 points from 20 games and are unbeaten in their last six matches, even though only two of those have ended in wins. Their recent consistency makes them a tricky proposition at home, where they will be eager to build momentum.
A win for Blades would see them climb to seventh, underlining the high stakes for both sides in a fixture that carries implications beyond mere bragging rights.
Rallying the Support
Siwale also issued a heartfelt appeal to the ZESCO faithful after acknowledging the disappointment of their last home outing.
“We disappointed them when we played at home, but they know what ZESCO can do,” he said. “They followed us in Lusaka, they saw what we did. Even when we were down, they were with us until the last whistle.”
The coach urged supporters to turn up in numbers at Konkola Stadium, noting that the club’s backing stretches across the country.
“It’s our game, but our fans are all over the country. Those who cannot go can support us from where they are, but we want as many people as possible to come to Chililabombwe.”
Match Details
Konkola Blades host ZESCO United in a rescheduled Week 18 fixture:
- Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026
- Kick-off: 15:00 hours
- Venue: Konkola Stadium, Chililabombwe
- Tickets: Open Wing K20 | Grand Stand K100 | VIP K200
With both teams separated by just two points and table positions at stake, Thursday’s encounter promises intensity, urgency and, as Siwale insists, total focus on the task at hand rather than distant title ambitions.
